BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Meeting for Week of December 6, 2004

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 6, 2004 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Quinn and Talent present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Commissioner McKee was in Washington, DC to provide information to Congressional members and staff regarding the need for reauthorization of the “Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000”, (P.L.106-393) which sunsets in 2006. 

 

Keith Brown submitted a letter advising of concerns with the designation of the Neighborhood Commercial Zone in the 5 Corners area included in the adoption of the West End Community Comprehensive Subarea Plan, and requested the Board to reconsider their action.  Jim Hutchison, Teresa Brown, and Dennis Gogolski expressed similar concerns.  Commissioner Quinn advised that this request would be referred to the County’s legal counsel.

 

Sandra Bacus requested information be made available to the public before the Board considers the conveyance of the Wind River Nursery property to the Public Development Authority.  The Board advised that the Director of Administrative Services is compiling this information.

 

Mary Repar advised of concerns with the language in the County’s contract with the Public Development Authority (PDA), improvements to the Wind River Nursery (WRN) site, and conveyance of the WRN property to the PDA.

 

Brent Holman, Public Works Director/County Engineer, reported on snow accumulation in the higher elevations, brush cutting and burning on upper Wind River Road, study for Rock Creek Bridge, and an upcoming product demonstration to provide 3-D surveys for determining stockpile volumes.

 

Terry Blaisdell, Central Services Director, reported on Terra Scan training, implementation of a spam blocker for email, computer hardware failures, and advised that some department are replacing desktop computers with laptops

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve the Consent Agenda, as follows:

A.                 Minutes for week of November 29, 2004.

B.                 Bid Notice to Contractors for 2005-2007 Radio Maintenance Contract, set deadline to receive bids for 4:00 PM Monday, December 20, 2004, set date to open sealed bids for 10:00 AM Tuesday, December 21, 2004.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve contract amendment #1 with Cascade Software Systems, Inc to extend the term to allow for completion of required specifications for cost accounting management system.  It was noted that no additional costs would be incurred.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve an agreement with Educational School District 112 to provide funding for the 21st Century Bridges Program for youth education on teamwork and conflict resolution.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve an agreement with American Fidelity Assurance Company for renewal of the Section 125 Flexible Fringe Benefit Plan for non-bargaining employees.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve Resolution 2004-50, changing the fund accounting number for the County Clerk Collection Fund.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve Resolution 2004-52, establishing legal holidays for 2005.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve Resolution 2004-53 jointly with Clark, Klickitat and Skamania Counties appointing Rosilee Kathryn Smith to Position No. 7 as Clark County’s designee to serve as trustee of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library for a term expiring December 31, 2007.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:20 a.m. Monday, December 6, 2004 and reconvened at 11:35 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Quinn and Talent present.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending December 6, 2004 in the amount of $291,508.37.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:45 a.m. Monday, December 6, 2004 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Quinn and Talent present.

 

A public hearing was held to discuss various elements of the Lewis River Settlement Agreement with PacifiCorp and Cowlitz PUD and to receive input from interested parties.  Ryan Lopossa from Cowlitz County Public Works gave a presentation of the project description and specific elements of the agreement, which included a summary of the 10-year process, signatory parties to the agreement, hydroelectric projects location map, recreation, law enforcement, flood management, emergency services, and Swift Reservoir.  Total funds committed over the next 50 years includes $290 million from PacifiCorp and $36 million from Cowlitz County PUD.  Jerry Sauer, property owner in the Northwoods area, discussed concerns with in flows and out flows of Swift Reservoir and the need for phone communications and an emergency services agreement with Skamania County Fire District #6. 

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve Resolution 2004-49 authorizing the Chair to sign the Lewis River Settlement Agreement on behalf of Skamania County.

 

The Board met in executive session from 2:35 p.m. until 3:10 p.m. regarding potential litigation, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 3:10 p.m. Monday, December 6, 2004 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 7, 2004, with Commissioners Quinn and Talent present.

 

Tony Estey, Buildings and Grounds Director, reported on winterizing of equipment, facilities and parks, maintenance of buildings and grounds, and animal control activities.

 

Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director, advised of the next Water Resource Inventory Area 29 meeting and agenda topics for the next Columbia River Gorge Commission meeting.

 

Charly Boyd, Watershed/Shorelines Planner, reported on various water and fish related meetings.

 

The meeting recessed at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, December 7, 2004 and reconvened at 11:00 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Quinn and Talent present.

 

The Board met in a workshop with Superior Court Judge E. Thompson Reynolds and representatives from the Juvenile Department and Counseling Center to discuss the need for an intensive outpatient substance abuse program for juveniles, the substance abuse outpatient program for juveniles provided by the Counseling Center, and the need for communications between the Juvenile Department and Counseling Center.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday, December 7, 2004 and reconvened at 2:40 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Quinn and Talent present.

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss the budget, Federal Forest Funds meeting and the Firewise Program, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday, December 7, 2004 and reconvened at 10:05 a.m. Thursday, December 9, 2004, with Commissioners McKee and Talent present.  Commissioner Quinn was on personal business.

 

Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and motion carried to approve payroll for the period ending November 30, 2004 in the amount of $907,976.40.

 

Commissioner McKee gave an overview of his recent trip to Washington, DC to provide information to Congressional members and staff regarding the need for continuation of federal timber replacement funding (Public Law 106-393) and advised of his nomination as Washington State Association of Counties representative to the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition Board of Directors.

 

The meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 9, 2004.

 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON